The Curb Motorsports Museum is owned by motorsports enthusiast and race car owner, Mike Curb. It’s situated in the small city / suburb in the Charlotte metropolitan area, Kannapolis, North Carolina. Kannapolis was also the birthplace of NASCAR favorite, Dale Earnhardt.
What’s in the Curb Motorsports Museum?
The Curb Motorsports Museum can be found online under many names, mainly because it shares a building with Mike Curb’s other passion — music.
So, the museum is referred to as everything from the Curb Museum for Music and Motorsports, to CURB Motorsports-Records Museum, to Curb Motorsports Racing Museum.
When it comes to cars, there are lots to choose from as there around 40 on display. As a car owner and sponsor, Curb’s cars have won over 100 NASCAR / IMSA / ARCA victories.
Dale Earnhardt Car
The museum is home to the #2 car that Dale Earnhardt drove in his first Winston Cup Championship.
Earnhardt was the third driver in NASCAR history to win both the Rookie of the Year and Winston Cup Series championship.
He’s also the only driver in NASCAR Cup history to follow a Rookie of the Year title with a NASCAR Winston Cup Championship the next season.
The car is a 1980 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. It was sponsored by Mike Curb Motorsports of Tennessee throughout that season. Its wins also included Nashville, the Charlotte 500, and the Atlanta 500.
How many races did Dale Earnhardt win?
Dale’s career started when he dropped out of high school in 1967 to focus on racing. From this point until his death in a Daytona race in 2001, Earnhardt entered 676 Winston Cup races, winning 76. He won more than $40 million in prize money.
Earnhardt was also a four-time winner of the International Race of Champions series (1990, 1995, 1999, 2000).
Other Cars in the Collection
The collection includes cars driven by well-known drivers such as Richard Petty, Dale Jarrett and Danica Patrick.
Not familiar with Patrick’s record? She was the first women to win a major-league open-wheel race in a North American series. That was in the Indycar series Japan 300 in 2008.
When did they first start racing modified winged cars?
The world’s first small-track winged race car was driven by Jim Cushman at the Columbus Motor Speedway (Ohio) in 1958.
So, why the wings? Well, when you’re driving an oval track, you’ve got corners. Wings increase the downforce generated on the car, with the opposite direction of the sideboards helping to turn the car in the corners.
As well, this increased traction makes the car faster and easier to control, so it’s safer. The added downforce lessens the likelihood of going airborne.
And if you’re looking for modified cars, the museum has some of those as well!
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
My favorite here was Richard Petty.
So why Richard Petty?
Well, mainly because Petty is considered to be the most successful driver in the history of NASCAR stock car racing. He won 200 NASCAR Cup series races and seven Cup Series Championships.
Petty raced under the #43 in 1,184 NASCAR events. He was part of inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.
Petty retired in 1992.
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
When you’re in Kannapolis, North Carolina, the most important thing to do is follow the Dale Trail — a trail of stops honoring the life and career of racer, Dale Earnhardt.
Start in the Dale Earnhardt Tribute Plaza to see this nine-foot, 900-pound bronze statue of Dale. He’s depicted as locals knew him – in Wrangler jeans and boots with sunglasses in his shirt pocket.
Along the Dale Earnhardt trail, you’ll learn about Dale, from his yellow ’56 Chevy that burned around corners on Old Earnhardt Road, to Punchy’s Diner (Rachael’s Place), where you can still experience old fashioned ’50s style diner food.
Who Should Visit the Curb Motorsports Museum?
If you follow motorsports, this is a must-see museum when you visit Charlotte, NC. And of course, North Carolina is the heart of motorsports.
The museum is all on one floor, making it readily accessible to everyone.
Allow an hour or two to check out all the cars, before you move on to the adjoining Curb Museum for Music.
For those who don’t recognize the drivers’ names, they’ll likely still enjoy the wide sampling of race cars.
How Do You Visit the Curb Motorsports Museum?
The Curb Motorsports Museum is in Kannapolis at 600 Dale Earnhardt Blvd.
Visit the Mike Curb website for more information. The museum is typically open 10 – 4, Monday through Friday. But you can check by calling +1 704-938-6121.
Take a virtual tour of the Curb Motorsports Museum on YouTube.
Plan your visit with Google maps.
Acknowledgments
I visited the NASCAR Hall of Fame as part of a post-trip for Travel Media Showcase, hosted by the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. My admission to the NASCAR Hall of Fame was free of charge.
Reference(s)
Britannica. (n.d.). Dale Earnhardt. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dale-Earnhardt
Britannica. (n.d.). Richard Petty. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Petty-American-stock-car-racer
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Sprint car racing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprint_car_racing
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